The present disclosure relates generally to devices and methods for either or both retrofitting and augmenting a traditional drilling or workover rig, and more specifically to automating the operations and control systems. In recent years, innovations that incorporate electronics and computerization have permitted the development of automated systems that can be monitored and operated remotely.
Most modern drilling and workover rigs now house a variety of these automated systems in the form of a fully integrated drilling control system, offering the operators the ability to more easily monitor, document, and control the varied systems with the assistance of computerized terminals and digital displays. Examples of these might be rigs based on the “Cyberbase” system, provided by National Oilwell Varco, Houston, Tex., or the PACE System, provided by Academy Electric, Calgary, Canada. These types of rig automation and control systems have become very popular over the last few years and are used in many of the new rig constructed. But such systems do not address the needs of the traditional aging global rig fleet base that do not have the integrated automation and control systems, referred herein as “traditional” rigs. In this disclosure a traditional rig may be any system referred to as a “rig” in the industry, including a drilling rig and a workover rig. At present, worldwide, there are in excess of 3100 Rotary Drilling Rigs, and a similar number of Workover Rigs. At the time of this disclosure, less than ten percent of these are of the type that has a fully integrated drilling control system.
Today many tools have been developed that make the task of operating the rig more automated and centralized, especially on the newer automated rigs with fully integrated control systems, where a significant set of the tools are integrated. But on traditional rigs these varied systems, developed by disparate companies, have created a complex operation area, jumbled with output displays and controls. Among other things, the systems and methods of the present disclosure helps this complexity issue by reducing the total number of individual systems, sensors, controls and display installations, by rationalizing, integrating systems and hence simplifying the operational areas and system installations for a traditional rig.
As disclosed, of the rigs in service most are traditional in type. These rigs require manual operation and monitoring of an assortment of drilling systems, unless otherwise augmented with select, discrete automation, control and reporting tools available from a wide range of individual providers. Since traditional rigs represent a sizeable capital investment, and possess valuable operational life, it is economically prudent to continue to employ the traditional rigs in drilling operations.
On a traditional rig, the driller, who is in charge of the drilling crew and operation of the rig during drilling operations, works at a primary control station. It is typical for a driller to keep a desk area from where drilling operations are coordinated and the operational documentation is maintained. The driller's desk is typically referred to as the “Knowledge Box,” and is located in a shelter, referred to as the doghouse, on or adjacent to the rig. In most instances, on traditional drilling rigs, the driller's desk has a hinged, sloped lid with a lip at its base, and holds a large International Association of Drilling Contractors (“IADC”) drilling tablet, Canadian Association of Drilling Contractors (“CAODC”) drilling tablet, or similar well site activity recording tablet. The lid is hinged so the driller can move the tablet off the desk to keep it clean. The desk is usually located under the window to give the driller a good view of the rig floor and is also near the door for quick access. The desktop is usually around forty-eight inches tall, which is a comfortable height for the driller to stand and complete reports. The desk is also frequently used as a repository for miscellaneous items, such as pens, strapping tape, small plumbing fittings, and etcetera.
Space in the doghouse is at a premium. The knowledge box made sense when the driller was tasked with keeping the IADC report current and clean, and when the freestanding mechanical drilling recorder was positioned nearby. A driller is now required to complete his reports on a computer and utilize an electronic drilling recorder, so the reporting functions and mechanical drilling recorder are now replaced by data acquisition and computer systems. Other equipment is becoming computerized, such as the pneumatic autodriller and directional steering controls, and with each new system a new set of sensors, controls is added to the rig equipment and another interface is added to the doghouse and drillers station
It would be a valuable addition to the field of art to provide a method of augmenting a traditional rig with automated systems. In order to simplify the retrofitting process, and to take advantage of automated technology, among other advantages, it would be valuable to the field of art to provide a system that may flexibly and dynamically provide such advantages as to integrate multiple automated systems, reduce sensor duplication, reduce the number of controls and control boxes, reduce the number of displays, reduce the space required over discrete automated system installations, reduce time to rig up and rig down, improve overall reliability, improve efficiency, provide more capability for less investment, reduce the controls and interface complexity, and improve standardization of interfaces for the end user.